New Zealand Seashore

DSC_5254 Geoduck (Panopea zelandica) a large bivalve living 20-40cm deep in sand well below low tide, and far enough beyond the breaking waves to avoid dislodgement. Once dislodged from the sand, geoduck are helpless and cannot reburrow, unlike most other bivalves. They also do not need to close their shells completely, and their huge joined siphon tubes cannot be fully retracted. Golden Bay, North West Nelson